


Tough Minded Optimist

by Fanatic_weirdo



Series: Lightwood-Bane Family [6]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 08:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13120212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanatic_weirdo/pseuds/Fanatic_weirdo
Summary: Set one week after Beautiful. Alec sees the kid who hurt his son and has to be a leader instead of a father. Upon doing so he realizes Cole is going through much more than he expected and he knows he has to protect someone he once he thought he'd have to protect his son against.





	Tough Minded Optimist

**Author's Note:**

> The abuse is not seen but it is heard and it's mostly verbal, but there is a moment where it is heard. So be aware. Hope you enjoy it! I don't own anyone you recognize.

Magnus was going to kill him.

He was an hour later than he said he’d be, and he was already going to be later than he normally was. It was nearly 9pm. Rafael had gone home with Max hours ago but Alec had had some last minute paper work due to a greater demon causing trouble earlier in the day, and, of course, it had taken him much longer than anticipated because the reports were horrible. He needed to have a class on filling out a work report. He was running past the training area when he heard a cry of pain, and it stopped him dead in his tracks. 

It had been a week since Max had tried to change his skin color, and he’d intended to have a conversation with the kid before now about his opinion of Max, but seeing the boy holding his wrist in a way that Alec himself had done before when he’d hurt his wrist caused his fatherly instincts to light up. There was a part of Alec that wanted to punish the kid further, let him continue to hurt himself to pay for what he’d said to Alec’s little boy; however, another part, the bigger part told him he couldn’t let a 12-year-old hurt himself. Alec knew what he was doing, too. It was something he’d done for years; he was punishing himself for what he assumed was a mission poorly executed.

“Cole,” he said firmly. 

Instantly his suspicion was confirmed when Cole released his wrist without so much as a flinch and stood at attention. One thing about Cole was that while he could be a little shit, he respected Alec as a leader when it came to Shadowhunter business that didn’t have anything to do with Rafael and Max. 

“At ease,” Alec said, slightly amused. 

Cole lightened up and moved to hold his wrist again before remembering himself and putting his arms down. Alec approached the pre-teen, his long sandy brown hair hanging in his blue eyes. He was thin, which Alec previously attributed to being a growing kid, but now that he thought about it, Cole had always been thin and he wasn’t all that tall. 

Alec gently reached out and took Cole’s arm in his hand, pulling it gently to examine it. Cole tried to pull away, but his strength was nothing compared to Alec’s and eventually let the leader look. The wrist was inflamed and bruised, and while Alec didn’t think it was broken, it definitely looked sprained. 

“Did you get this during the mission today,” Alec asked. Cole tried once again to pull away and this time Alec let him, now looking at him expectantly.

“Yes, Sir,” he grumbled. Alec sat on the steps and motioned for Cole do to the same.

“Here,” Alec pulled out his Stele and drew an Iratze on his arm. The boy let out a sigh of relief as the pain dissipated.

“Thank you,” Cole said quietly as he was able to bend his wrist for the first time since the mission that morning. 

“Do me a favor? In the future, if you get hurt, please tell one of the doctors, or me, so we can fix it. I can’t have one of my best young Shadowhunters injured,” Alec requested. 

Cole scoffed. “You don’t have to say stuff like that. We both know you don’t like me,” he muttered, and Alec wasn’t sure he was meant to hear him but he did. There was something deeper about this kid that Alec felt he’d been missing; he just couldn’t put his finger on it. 

“Where did you get that idea,” Alec asked. 

Cole let out a hollow laugh. “I know you have a list. I mean I broke into the archives and blamed Chris. I changed a mission so I could be on the team,” Cole rambled. “I called your youngest son an ‘evil demon’,” this was said much quieter, almost guilty. 

“And you got a black eye from Rafael for it,” Alec reminded him.

“He hates me more than you do,” Cole claimed, “and is a better Shadowhunter than me.”

“That’s not true,” Alec admitted. Cole and Rafael were pretty evenly matched in everything except bowmanship. Rafael had him beat in that one and that was solely because Alec worked with Rafael at home as well. Cole was a much better hand-to-hand fighter. “You kicked ass today,” Alec claimed.

Cole held up his wrist. “I got hurt,” he stated. 

Alec nodded with a sad smile. “That’s going to happen. It doesn’t mean you didn’t complete your mission. I give you a couple years until you’re as good as Jace was at your age.” 

Cole looked at the man, shocked. No one had ever said he was going to be a good Shadowhunter. I mean sure Jace would say it when they were training, but Alec didn’t throw out compliments without truth being behind them. 

“Have you eaten dinner,” Alec asked. 

“Oh, no I’ve eaten my meal for the day,” Cole said it flippantly, but it froze Alec in his place. Meal? As in singular. 

“Your meal? As in one today,” Alec asked. Cole started to nod but realized the way Alec was asking meant that it probably was one of those things that his parents did that most parents did not. “By the Angel,” Alec swore quietly. “Come on; let’s fix you dinner.” He started to stand but suddenly a portal appeared. Alec sighed, knowing he was about to get that look of disappointment his husband had perfected. But it wasn’t Magnus who stepped through; it was Max.

“Hi, Dad, Papa sent me to get you with strict instructions to—” 

Max froze when he saw Cole and took a step back. 

“Shit,” Alec breathed. “Okay, I need you to tell Papa that I’m dealing with something right now, and I will call him when I’m able to come home,” Alec instructed Max. 

“Oh don’t let me be the reason you stay,” Cole said. “I need to go home anyway,” he said hurriedly as he stood. Alec sighed, torn. He knew something was up with Cole but it was already late, and what could he really do about it at 9pm? 

“Okay, I want you to come to my office 10am sharp tomorrow. If you aren’t there I will come find you, and you don’t want that,” Alec ordered. Cole nodded before looking at Max who still hadn’t said anything.

“Max, I-” Alec and Max both tensed at him addressing Max. “I’m really sorry for what I said to you,” Cole said softly, but he sounded sincere. “Not that it in any way makes up for it, I just… I need you to know that I don’t think you’re evil, I- I was dealing with some stuff that day and I lashed out at you and that wasn’t fair to you.” Max listened, silently. “Rafael did the right thing by hitting me. And you don’t have to forgive me, I just wanted to say it to you so…” He fell off and Max smirked and nodded.

“Thank you, I’ll let you know when I forgive you,” Max replied. Cole nodded, looking at his feet. 

“10am sharp, Sedgewick,” Alec said to Cole who looked up at him. There was no anger or hate in Alec’s eyes like he’d expected; instead he looked kind and maybe a little concerned, but also firm, and Cole knew he’d be at that office at 10.

“Yes, Sir,” he acknowledged. 

“Alright, Blue, let’s get out of here before your Papa bursts a blood vessel,” Alec said, putting his arm around Max’s shoulder. “Don’t tell him I said that,” Max laughed and Cole’s heart clinched in envy at the father and son. He had nothing against the Lightwood-Banes, except maybe that. That Rafael and Max won the parent lottery and he didn’t even get a ticket.

The next morning, Cole stood nervously outside of Alec’s office. At 10am exactly he knocked quietly on the door, even though it was open, and he poked his head into the office. Rafael stood in front of the desk, standing at attention as Alec finished saying something. Rafael looked back at him before turning back to his father.

“See you tonight, Dad,” Rafael said turning and walking towards Cole. Cole squared his shoulders, ready for the fight he felt like he was about to have with the other boy. His brown eyes were fierce and determined and his mouth was twisted into a scowl. He stopped in front of Cole.

“Lightwood-Bane,” Cole said, waiting for Rafael to say what he had to. 

“Nice job yesterday,” Rafael stated. Wait, was he being sarcastic? Then he smirked, “Too bad you had the dead weight of Thomas to drag—”

“Rafael!” Alec scolded sharply. Rafael snapped his mouth shut and rolled his eyes at Cole with that smirk still on his lips. Cole was slightly confused. Were he and Rafael in on a joke together? Cole couldn’t help but chuckle and he shrugged and nodded.

“Good thing I have strong upper body strength,” he muttered to Rafael but Alec heard him anyway.

“Cole!” Alec admonished with the same disapproving tone he’d used on Rafael. Even as Rafael smirked and nudged Cole as he exited his father’s office leaving Cole alone with Alec. Cole must have had a confused expression when he approached Alec’s desk because Alec smiled.

“Max told him you apologized, and even if you aren’t fully forgiven, it gives you major respect points with all of us,” Alec admitted looking at Cole as he waited to be told he could sit. Alec motioned to the seat and Cole sat, his posture up right and stiff. “This isn’t an interrogation,” Alec stated. 

Cole smiled a little shyly. “I mean you’re you. It’s a little intimidating,” Cole said. 

Alec chuckled. “Don’t ever let your father hear you say that. He’ll go on and on about I broke his nose that one time and had to get the lashes as punishment because I did an untaught move,” Alec rolled his eyes but Cole’s widened. 

“That was you?!” he asked in disbelief. Cole’s father would get so angry if Cole did a move that wasn’t in training because he claimed it was cheating. Then he would go on and on about a brat who had cheated and broken his nose when they were 13. Then he’d say how those were the days and they should bring back corporal punishment because ‘Cole should definitely get a few lashes and maybe it would light a fire under his lazy ass’. Then he’d go off on how Alec was the one to end corporal punishment because he couldn’t take what Preston’s mother had dished out. 

“Yep, I figured he’d never admit a ‘Downworlder lover’ broke his nose,” Alec said with a slight smirk. “And don’t get me wrong. I know exactly where you got that language of saying Max’s skin and horns made him evil. I don’t actually blame you; you have to learn that behavior from somewhere and knowing Preston and your mother, I have no doubt where.” Cole blinked slowly at Alec who looked back at him. 

“I don’t want to be like them,” Cole said quietly. Alec stared at Cole for a moment before sitting back in his seat. “I know I’m a shit, and am shit at being a Shad-”

“Did they tell you that?” Alec interrupted, his voice suddenly cold and angry. Cole shrunk slightly, knowing the anger wasn’t directed at him, but he couldn’t help it. “Cole you are a great Shadowhunter. I think you will probably be the best hand-to-hand combat fighter we have in just a couple years.” Alec paused; his parents had told him he was never good enough as well, but Alec suspected that what Cole experienced was true abuse. He came to a quick decision. “Would you like to move into the Institute,” Alec suggested. 

Cole’s eyes widened and his heart soared. He could get away from his parents? 

“Under one condition,” Alec claimed and Cole’s heart skipped a beat. “You have to start eating 3 meals a day.” 

Cole bit his lip so he didn’t dare release the tears he could feel at the back of his eyes. 

“Um-are you- if you- yes,” he stuttered, nodding. “If-if it’s not too much trouble,” 

Alec smiled slightly and shook his head. “No trouble at all,” Alec claimed. 

Cole nodded, a smile spreading across his lips. 

“Thank you, Sir.”

 

It had been six months since Cole moved into the Institute. He had grown 5 inches, gained 15 pounds, and he smiled a lot more. He still struggled with accepting compliments, but when one of the older Shadowhunters told him he did well on a mission, he believed them. Unfortunately his parents still came to the Institute for work as well so there were times when they couldn’t be avoided. 

Max snickered as he snuck down the hallway towards Alec’s old room. He had managed to escape Izzy and wanted to see if his dad had any cool old weapons or books in the bedroom. He’d been in there before, but he knew his dad would be smart enough to hide them where they weren’t easily found.

“-completely shamed to have you as a son.”

The disgust in the unknown voice caused Max to freeze, feeling like he’d been kicked in the stomach. He quickly realized it was coming from Cole’s bedroom. The door was cracked just enough for him to listen, but not enough for him to look in on what was happening.

“I-I,” the familiar voice of Cole stuttered. It was familiar in that Max knew it was Cole, but unfamiliar in the complete lack of confidence and gravitas it usually carried. “Mom, I got the demon. That’s my job,” Cole claimed. 

His mother? Max had never actually met Cole’s mother, but he knew perfectly well she didn’t like him. A few people in the Institute still rarely hid their disdain for a warlock child running around in a place they believed should be Shadowhunters only unless services were being exchanged. Most people didn’t care, and a lot of them treated Max like any other kid in the Institute, but not Cole’s parents; he stayed clear of them if he could. 

“And looked like a complete idiot doing it. You and Lightwood’s brat showing off like a couple of showy peacocks,” Cole’s mother growled. 

Max scowled at his brother being called a brat and at her claiming they were showing off. Max had seen Rafael and Cole in training; they were a well-oiled machine. Rafael’s best friend Chris had just started real training and he worked with the older boys like the three had been fighting together for decades, not just months. None of them showed off; they were just really talented Shadowhunters.

Max had forgiven Cole a couple weeks after he’d apologized because when he moved into the Institute he became a new kid. He was hard working, brave, still a little mischievous, but if anyone could appreciate that it was Max. In fact, when Max got a little older, he could see Cole and himself getting into all sorts of trouble, and he was looking forward to it. 

“We weren’t showing off. We know what we’re doing, and Rafe—”

“Know what you’re doing?!” Her voice raised and Max heard Cole inhale sharply. “If it weren’t for Raj you would be dead and I don’t know if I wouldn’t be better for it!” 

Max flinched at those hateful words but Cole wasn’t having it.

“If it weren’t for Raj?! He nearly got himself killed for being an idiot!” Cole released a cry of either pain or surprise even though Max didn’t hear any contact.

“I am your mother, you worthless piece of shit. You will respect me,” her voice so low that Max almost didn’t hear the words, but he definitely heard the hatred in her voice. 

“Mom,” Cole whimpered and this time he really did sound like he was in pain. “Please, I’m sorry.” Cole’s voice sounded defeated and his voice sounded strained. There were several moments of horrifying silence when suddenly Cole took a large gasp in and coughed several times and Max paled. Had she been choking him? Before he had the time to think about it further he heard the click of heels getting closer to the door and he jumped away from the door and pressed himself into the next doorway. The brunette-blonde woman walked down the hall carrying herself with pride, as if she hadn’t just choked her 13 year old child. 

“Cole!” Max cried, rushing into the Cole’s room as soon as she was out of sight. 

Cole sat on the bed, his breath still shaking and his hand touching his neck tenderly. He looked up at Max and his eyes widened.

“Oh God,” he breathed, “Please, you can’t tell anyone! Especially your dad, especially Rafael! Please, promise me.” 

Max gently pulled his hand away from his neck and hoped his face didn’t show the horror at the bruise on his neck.

“I’m going to turn her into a bug and then I’m going to stomp on her!” Max snarled and turned to do just that when Cole’s hand grabbed his arm. He turned back to his friend who just looked so sad it broke Max’s heart. 

“Promise you won’t tell anyone?” Cole pleaded. 

“Cole, you have to tell Dad,” Max murmured as he held his hand over Cole’s neck, waiting for permission to heal him. Cole nodded, knowing he couldn’t leave his room with a bruised neck.

“I can’t. I can’t deal with the looks I’ll get if anyone knows I let myself get treated like that,” Cole said quietly. 

“She’s your mom. No one would blame you for that, especially not Dad,” Max claimed as he finished healing the last of the hand shaped bruise. 

Cole shook his head. “Please, Max, please promise me,” he begged once more. Max hesitated; he had to tell Alec. Cole couldn’t keep getting treated like this and unless his parents were no longer allowed in the Institute, it would continue to happen. “They’ll kill me,” Cole whispered, “if they think I told. They’d make it look like an accident, but I would be dead,.” 

Max knew he was telling the truth. “Okay,” Max agreed. He fully intended to tell Alec, but he would also tell what Cole said so Alec would deal with it so they could never assume Cole said something. “I won’t.” Cole sighed in relief at Max’s words and nodded. 

“I have to get to training,” Cole sighed. “Thank you for healing me.” 

Max nodded, forcing a smile before walking out with Cole.

“What were you doing in this part of the Institute anyway,” Cole asked as they walk back to the main area of the Institute.

“I was going to snoop in Dad’s old room, see if he had any hidden weapons or anything,” Max said truthfully. Cole laughed and bumped him playfully.

“Next time invite me!” Max chuckled and promised. Max noticed the sneer Cole’s mother gave him as he and Cole parted and walked past her but he ignored her, knowing he couldn’t glare at her back or she’d suspect he knew what had happened just minutes ago.

“There you are, Blue! Slippery as an eel,” Izzy said approaching him, rolling her eyes. “Come on, let’s get back to the lesson.” Max went quietly, which raised suspicions with Izzy, but she let it go since it’s what she wanted in the first place.

 

Max knocked on the door hesitantly. He loved his father’s office. It reminded everyone who stepped foot in it how important Alec was to the Institute. And to the Shadow world, as well, if they knew anything at all about him. 

“Hey,” Alec greeted him with a smile as he motioned him in. Max paused, maybe he shouldn’t be telling Cole’s secret, maybe it wasn’t his to tell. “What’s up?” Alec said, his voice going soft when he recognized something was bothering his kid. Max sat down in the chair across Alec’s desk and sighed.

“I heard something today and I need to tell you but I promised I wouldn’t and I know why they wouldn’t want me to tell you but I know it needs to be handled but I don’t want to make the situation worse but I don’t want it to keep happening because she really hurt him and—”

“Whoa whoa,” Alec stopped him, going and kneeling down in front of the chair and grabbed Max’s hands. Max took in a giant breath that he’d lost with his run-on explanation. “Hurt who?” Alec started with that, figuring he could fill in the rest of the blanks once he knew the basics of what he was dealing with. Max looked at him nervously. “Whatever you tell me, I’m not going to let anything bad happen to anyone, and I’ll make sure they don’t know you’re the one who told.”

“No, no one can know I told, not even him because he made me promise,” Max said quickly.

“Okay, that’s fine then, I’ll figure out something else. But I need you to tell me. If someone got hurt, you know I have to know,” Alec said, running his thumb against the back of Max’s hand comfortingly. 

“I-” Max flinched, he didn’t like breaking promises, even if it was for the greater good. “I was dodging Aunt Izzy’s lesson today,” Max admitted. Alec opened his mouth but Max shook his head, “You can scold me later. I was dodging my lessons and I was going to go into your old bedroom to see if you had any cool hidden weapons or books or whatever and while I was walking by I heard this woman talking and she—” He bit his inner cheek nervously. “She was saying awful things to Cole, things that I can’t imagine you and Pops thinking about let alone saying to me or Rafe.” 

“Like what?” Alec asked, trying to keep a neutral expression so Max didn’t worry about him overreacting, but inwardly he was calculating a plan as quickly as humanly possible to get Preston and Valerie Sedgewick away from their child. 

“Like that she was ashamed of him, that in his last mission he’d been showing off. She called Rafe a brat, saying they were both ‘showy peacocks’ and when he tried to stand up to her, she—” Max knew this was the part that would send Alec over. Alec was a protector; he’d hate the thought of a parent hurting their child as she had. “She choked him, Dad,” he said softly. 

Alec’s face darkened and his grip on Max’s hands tightened.

“You’re sure?” He tried to keep his voice steady, but Max could hear the pure livid tone it had taken. 

“I healed the bruises on his neck,” Max said sadly. Max could feel Alec shaking as he turned his head to swear quietly, should have done something sooner. He turned back to his 11 year old, smiling weakly.

“I’m very proud of you for telling me. You did the right thing,” Alec cupped Max’s cheek in his large hand. 

Max nodded slightly. “And Cole won’t know I told? And his parents won’t know?” 

Alec leaned forward and kissed his anxious son’s forehead.

“I promise no one will even suspect.” Max nodded, trusting him. “All right, go on home. I’m going to figure this out, then Rafael and I will be home soon.” Max stood up and wrapped his arms around Alec’s neck. It took him aback slightly but he hugged Max tightly until Max pulled away. “What was that for,” he asked. Those kinds of hugs were getting less and less as the boys got older.

“You and Pops love me and Rafe and we love you,” Max reported. Alec nodded and gave him a crooked smirk.

“Yes, very much.” Alec agreed. Max nodded and waved his hand creating a portal behind him. “Tell Papa I’m in the mood for beef stroganoff,” Alec told him.

“Score!” Max cheered and ran off into the portal as Alec watched with a smile. He would die in a second for either one of his children, or his husband for that matter. So he would never understand how other parents hurt their children. Heading over to the computer he quickly sent an email to the Head of the Bangkok Institute; they were about to receive two Shadowhunters from New York. 

 

Cole wanted to vomit. He knew Max would tell. He was going to die. His parents wouldn’t just be angry; they would slaughter him.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” Alec said, standing and walking around to the front of the desk, leaning on it slightly. 

“What is this about, Lightwood,” Preston asked brashly. 

Cole saw Alec’s jaw clench. He knew the leader hated when people left off the second part of his last name, pretending as if his Warlock husband didn’t count.

“I wanted to bring all three of you in here since it affects all of you.” Alec let the name thing slide and continued. “You have been specifically requested for the Bangkok Institute.” Cole felt like he was going to scream. He couldn’t go back to living with his parents, it was bad enough seeing them every day, but if- “And I know it’s a long distance to live from Cole, but I think it’s an amazing opportunity for the two of you and Cole will be fine here. He’s settled in nicely to living here as well as being on a team with Rafael and Chris.” 

Cole looked at Alec like he was Raziel himself. Cole wasn’t going with his parents. 

“You expect us to leave our 13 year old son here in New York while we go across the globe,” Valerie hissed. 

Alec nodded, “You’ll be a portal away if he needs you, and, think about it—we didn’t live with our parents once we hit 13,” Alec claimed. “But if Cole wants to go, I’m sure…” he left it open, looking at Cole. His parents glared at him, but there was something about Alec’s expression that told Cole they would never touch him again.

“No, I’d like to stay here, I like my team, and working under you, Mr. Lightwood-Bane,” Cole said, saying ‘Bane’ perhaps a little more forceful than he normally would. He drew a small smirk out of Alec while his father’s frown deepened, but they all knew he wouldn’t say anything. 

“That settles it then. You’ll leave immediately, first thing in the morning. I scheduled a Warlock to be here to make the portal at 6am,” Alec’s words caused all three Sedgewick’s eyes to widen but they also knew things worked quickly. Cole knew perhaps why this situation worked so quickly but he didn’t say anything. Suddenly Cole’s phone went off and he glanced down to see he had been put on patrol until 630am. He looked at Alec who had turned around to gather the paperwork for the transfer, but if he’d seen his face he would have seen Alec’s self-satisfied smirk. When Alec turned back he had a neutral expression and he handed Valerie and Preston their paperwork. “Make sure to bring that with you tomorrow,” he instructed. Valerie and Preston looked like they wanted to say something but they didn’t dare. So instead they nodded curtly and without so much as a glance at Cole turned and left. 

Cole let out a sigh of relief when they were gone and turned to Alec. “Did Max tell you,” he asked. He certainly wouldn’t be mad at Max if he did. 

Alec looked at him confused, “Tell me what?” 

Cole stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. “It’s not important,” he claimed. 

Alec studied him for a moment more before smiling. “I believe you have patrol at midnight, so you might wanna go grab a nap before,” Alec suggested. 

Cole nodded and started towards the door before pausing. “Thank you, Sir,” he said. Alec looked back up at him.

“For what,” Alec asked. 

“For—” 

Cole took in a sharp breath. For sending my parents away, for letting me live at the Institute, for seeing in me what I wasn’t allowed to see in myself, for not holding grudges against a stupid kid, for caring. 

“For letting me stay,” he settled, even though that didn’t even being to cover it. 

Alec nodded, “Gotta keep the good Shadowhunters in my Institute, don’t I,” he said with an impish grin. 

Cole hadn’t been able to figure out where Max got his clever spirit from, but looking at Alec in that moment, he might have figured it out. 

What neither of them knew was that said blue warlock had gone back to Cole’s room before going to Alec’s office and put a protection spell on it so that anyone meaning Cole harm would be in for a few months of painful boils on a place that would be horribly uncomfortable. They didn’t need to know either. All Cole needed to know was that he was safe, and Alec had seen to that.


End file.
